Maple-Chile Butternut Soup

This is a great dairy-free (and cholesterol-free, too) soup in its own right, but a drizzle of Asian-spiced maple syrup adds a wonderfully unexpected kick and dramatic red flourish. The recipe comes from The Birchwood Cafe Cookbook (University of Minnesota Press, $29.95).

White Surprise Chili

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Broth gives this comforting soup plenty of meaty flavor, but you can stir in chopped cooked chicken for a heartier version. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe that helps feed hungry families in Cincinnati.

Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Many vegetarian chilies eat more like soups, but ours is built to satisfy a meat-lover. Bulgur wheat and mushrooms combine to mimic the texture and flavor of ground beef; chili powder, smoked paprika and chocolate stout lend deep, authentic flavor without a long simmer.

Chili Verde with Corn Bread Croutons

Bulgur wheat lends meaty texture, fiber and protein to soups and stews, where it can cook in the broth. In our sweet and savory chili, we match the grain with salsa verde, peppers and edamame—a weeknight meal that makes it oh-so-easy to be green.

Chicken and Kielbasa Winter Stew

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but this hearty supper soup takes just an hour to make. The secret? Deli-roasted chicken and precooked sausage. Pair with breadsticks or a crusty baguette for a perfect winter meal that will fill your house with good smells.

Chicken Dill Soup

Cathy Schneider of DeKalb, Illinois, shared her family-favorite recipe for a chicken soup that has just enough twists to keep it interesting: sweet potato, green beans, brown rice and fresh-tasting dill. (If you prefer less dill flavor, just reduce the amount. The soup will still be delicious.)

Thai Egg Drop Soup

Curry paste and fish sauce (both available at large supermarkets) give a Thai twist to the Chinese take-out staple. Ready in about 20 minutes, this recipe from La Soupe cafe in Cincinnati is a great pantry recipe for frigid winter weeknights.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Susan Corley of New Albany, Ohio, shared her version of the classic Italian soup in New Albany Cooking with Friends, a cooking club project that took regional honors in the 2007 Tabasco Community Cookbook Awards. Susan often slow-cooks a pot of the soup for family meals during the holidays.

Power Green Soup

One of the most popular menu items at La Soupe in Cincinnati, this cleansing blend is flavored with garlic, ginger and horseradish, and is loaded with nearly 2 pounds of spinach, collards, kale and mustard greens. Try it with a squeeze of lemon.

Bacon and Baked Potato Soup

Bacon is versatile and dependable, amping up most dishes. Our cheesy potato soup just seems to call for salty-smoky crumbled bacon. So we stirred some in and sprinkled the rest on top. If you like seasoned bacon, try pepper-rubbed bacon in the soup.

Chipotle Black-Bean Chili

Tuck this chili into your slow cooker in the morning so you can come home to a warm winter dinner. Omit the meat if you'd prefer a hearty meatless main dish. If you like, add chopped avocado or shredded cheese as toppers before serving.

Picky Eaters Meatball Soup

What do you feed a finicky eater? Midwest Living® Senior Food Editor Diana McMillen puts friends and family in charge of their meal destiny. Each person gets a bowl of meatballs in broth, and chooses from assorted toppers to finish their soup just the way they like it.

Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Soup

Nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and naturally sugary Vidalia onion and sweet potato mingle to evoke pumpkin pie. The soup (which is served at La Soupe in Cincinnati) is dairy-free, but if you like, swirl in some sour cream or crème fraîche.

Ham Florentine Soup

Florentine-style dishes have one thing in common: heart-healthy spinach. In this case, the leafy greens combine with chunks of ham in a chowderlike soup. For best results, remove spinach stems before cooking.

It's Italian Sausage Soup

Once a year, Sandy Mafera's women's club gathers for its annual cooking school. The Auburn, Indiana, group comes armed with recipes that fit that year's theme. Italian Sausage Soup was a winner the year their theme was "Elegant and Easy Comfort Food Goes Uptown." The rich and spicy soup is loaded with vegetables and ricelike orzo pasta, plus browned Italian sausage.

Ginger-Carrot Soup

Ratatouille Bisque

This pale orange, chowderlike soup gets a sprinkle of goat-cheese croutons in a recipe from Oakleys Bistro in Indianapolis. You'll get a healthy helping of veggies in this meal: eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, leeks, sweet peppers and tomatoes.

Curried Cauliflower Soup

Let your imagination roam to India when it comes to toppers for this mildly spicy soup: toasted unsweetened coconut, coarsely chopped cashews, a dollop of yogurt and warm naan bread for dipping. The recipe comes from La Soupe, a nonprofit cafe in Cincinnati.